Giving time to others

C2 Proficiency · Speaking Collaborative · Cambridge Ready original exercise

Work with your partner. First talk about two of the pictures for about a minute, then use all five pictures to discuss a situation and reach a decision together in about three minutes.

This next part is something the two of you do together. I'm going to show you some pictures of people volunteering in different ways.

Giving time to others

Volunteers of various ages collecting litter on a beach.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/5adc2715962f55be9b34f31f8c22095d9909720f30079d0bbbc654c5198f66d5.avif

candid documentary photograph, volunteers of various ages in jackets and long trousers collecting litter on a beach, holding plain white unprinted sacks and litter pickers, everyone in plain solid-colour clothes with nothing printed on them, bright windy morning, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

A retired woman helping a teenage boy with his reading at a library table.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/e02ed995e5832dcdd8a8095ff2eb06af3224ae30772d4729b701acef4788635f.avif

candid documentary photograph, a retired woman helping a teenage boy with his reading at a library table, patient and encouraging mood, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

Volunteers serving hot meals at a community lunch.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/3ce08c90553897007b8714fc8665444c0450f72a56fad0980882c5c135363eda.avif

candid documentary photograph, volunteers of different backgrounds serving hot meals at a weekly community lunch in a neighbourhood hall, smiling as they hand plates to people of all ages seated at long tables, the volunteers in plain solid-colour T-shirts and aprons with nothing printed on them, plain glass jugs of water, bare walls, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

A young man walking several dogs from an animal shelter along a country lane.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/73116765afd6bb238d7744c64c357db1e4fdc44d0a5328acb012b41b1f2aa2de.avif

candid documentary photograph, a young man walking several dogs from an animal shelter along a country lane, cheerful mood, autumn colours, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

A group of adults building a wooden playground together in a park.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/9caf5ea34a79f166218d3045fc9b5065c54c8da0cd1fe270de2043975b3e8b13.avif

candid documentary photograph, a group of adults of mixed ages building a wooden playground together in a neighbourhood park, tools and planks, teamwork, everyone in plain solid-colour clothes with nothing printed on them, no caps, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

I'd like you to begin with pictures {a} and {b}. What might motivate people to give up their time in these ways? Discuss this together for about a minute.

Now think about all the pictures together. Imagine a large company is launching a scheme that gives every member of staff one paid day a year to volunteer. Talk together about the impact each of these activities might have, both on the volunteers and on the people or places they help. Then decide which activity would be most worth promoting as part of the scheme. You have about three minutes for this.

Answer this Speaking task out loud and an AI examiner marks it on the official Cambridge Speaking criteria, with what you did well and what to fix next.

Practise this Speaking task free online: solo with exam timers and a self-recorder, as a live mock Speaking test with a partner over a video call, or as a full three-person mock exam — a real examiner reads the official examiner script to Candidates A and B. Rooms are invite-by-link; partners can join without an account.

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